Most likely just training missions. Again why provoke something via an accident. The point is to get these planes up in the air and then have NATO come rushing out to great them. I remember talking to old USAF pilots based out of Alaska during the Cold war. They started to even get to know the pilots flying the Bears as they went out for a meet and greet every couple days. I guess it's like passing the same cars going to work everyday. Eventually you get to reconizing them.
The Russians would come close, then turn back when our guys showed up...more of the same here. Kind of a poke "Hey, remember us?"
? Because I'm starting to be fed up with all this posturing... even if Russia is perfectly in its right to fly those bombers around as much as it wants.